Bus Aide Accused Of Assaulting Autistic Student: Darien Police

DARIEN, CT — A 27-year-old man who worked as a bus aide was arrested last week after police say he assaulted a 9-year-old autistic boy on a school bus in Darien.

Juan Carlos Rodriguez, of Bridgeport, turned himself in on a warrant at Darien police headquarters on June 17, police said. He was charged with risk of injury to a child and third-degree assault.

On April 4, Darien police were alerted by the Trumbull Police Department about an incident that occurred on a school bus while it was in Darien taking students from a private special education school in Stamford to Trumbull, police said.

"The investigation revealed that on April 1, 2024, a bus aide, identified as Juan Rodriguez, allegedly bit a 9-year-old boy diagnosed with autism during the bus ride. The boy's mother reported the incident to police after noticing a bite mark on his back," police said.

Video footage from the bus confirmed the incident, showing Rodriguez making contact with the boy who "immediately cried out in pain," police said, noting there have been other allegations of assault in recent weeks.

Rodriguez has since been fired from his job, according to police, who did not specify his employer or the school in Stamford.

Rodriguez posted a court-set bond of $50,000, and he's scheduled to appear in Stamford Superior Court on July 5, police said.